NRCS helps build resiliency to climate change

As experts predict growing climate changes in the United States, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service offers a variety of practices, programs and studies that help landowners build resiliency to its effects.

Although agriculture sources only contribute six percent of greenhouse gas emissions, many sources can be reduced with minimal economic impact, Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, NRCS deputy chief for science and technology, said.

“We, as an agency, have tremendous opportunity and responsibility to mitigate climate change and increase the resiliency of production systems to extreme weather events so we can enhance sustainability of our food production systems,” Honeycutt said.

With more extreme weather events, it’s more difficult for farmers and ranchers to predict what they’ll be faced with, which is where NRCS can help, he added.

Several conservation practices increase carbon storage in soil, called carbon sequestration, which buffers climate change and provides benefits to landowners by storing more carbon and increasing the organic matter in the soil.

The higher the organic matter content, the higher the water holding capacity and water infiltration, which also increases resilience to drought, heavy precipitation and extreme temperatures.

Some practices that help improve soil health are cover crops, crop rotation and no-till. Soil, pollinators, wildlife and farmers can all benefit from these practices. Farmers are able to achieve higher yields, reduce inputs and improve efficiency of nutrient and water use all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

NRCS has also provided financial assistance to replace old combustion engines that emit high amounts of nitrogen oxides with more environmentally friendly engines. From 2009 to 2012, NRCS replaced heavily polluting combustion engines, equaling more than 641,000 light-duty vehicles off the road.

About 32,000 soil profiles were sampled in 6,500 locations to develop the largest soil carbon dataset in the world. This detailed rapid carbon assessment will serve as a benchmark and will be checked at certain intervals to assess how well we are doing for maintaining and even increasing soil carbon levels.

Through these programs and many more, NRCS helps farmers and ranchers increase carbon sequestration and resiliency to extreme weather on millions of acres across the nation.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service helps America’s farmers and ranchers conserve the Nation’s soil, water, air and other natural resources. All programs are voluntary and offer science-based solutions that benefit both the landowner and the environment.